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Yvonne Jones, Opposition Health Critic and MHA for the District of
Cartwright-L’Anse au Clair, is questioning Minister Joan Burke’s silence on
the removal of gynecological and obstetric services from the Sir Thomas
Roddick Hospital in Stephenville. Last April, under questioning in the
House of Assembly related to recommendations contained in the Hay Report’s
Best Practices Review for the Western Health Care Corporation, Minister
Burke stated that government would not permit the elimination of obstetric
and surgical services from the Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital. However, media
reports now indicate that obstetric and gynecological services will no
longer be offered later this month as the physicians responsible for these
services will be relocating to Corner Brook.
"I have to question the silence of Minister Joan Burke on this issue,"
said Ms. Jones. "The minister unilaterally dismissed the recommendations on
behalf of government last year and gave her word that these services would
not be removed from Stephenville. I would hope this is not an attempt to
accomplish through the back door, what the people wouldn’t accept through
the front door.
"There has to be a resolution brought to this situation. If Minister
Burke decides to sit back without working towards a solution to this
problem, she will have broken her promise and failed her constituents. These
services should not be removed from Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital and I
challenge Minister Burke to stand up and fight for these services."
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